1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a new roller bearing which has a very small axial extension, of the order of 8 mm, a high loading capacity, of the order of 1000 kg, and hermetic annular elastic sliding seals, and which, by the use of a particular structure and axially acting seals, achieves a considerable reduction in production and control costs and an increase in its loading capacity, or alternatively a reduction in axial extension for the same loading capacity.
2. Description of the Prior Art
More specifically the invention relates to an improvement in the roller bearing with hermetic elastic seals described in Italian patent application No. 19109A/90 filed by the present applicant on Jan. 19, 1990.
Said known roller bearing, which is of a type particularly suitable for use in the joints of heddle frame operating levers in looms, in which the presence of a high degree of dust and trash makes it convenient to use pre-greased rollers with a hermetic sliding elastic seal preventing the lubricant grease escaping, consists substantially of an outer race which forms the outer rolling track for the rollers and has a C cross-section, the two lateral appendices of which act as shoulders for said rollers and terminate in two cylindrical surfaces which cooperate, by sliding contact, with two radially acting annular elastic seals rigid respectively with two opposing lateral shoulder rings for said rollers, housed in two corresponding opposing annular grooves formed in the sides of the bearing inner race comprising the inner rolling track for said rollers.
Because of the currently high level of competition in the loom industry, it is of primary importance to solve the problem of reducing in every possible manner the production cost of such bearings without detracting from their functionality. From this viewpoint it has been found that the aforesaid bearing involves very high grinding and testing costs because of the C shape of its outer race, which requires delicate and difficult operations within the C.